ating Through Ch Navig ange

Legislativeof Assembly

January2015 1, 2015ANNUAL - December REPORT 31, 2015

Table of Contents: Navigating through change Our Values and Ethics 6

Clerk’s Message 7

Our History 9

Our Services 11

Our Team 15

Spotlight: A Move in the Making 16

Events 19

Community Engagement 29

Parliamentary Matters 32

2015 House Statistics 43

Legislative Assembly Budget and Expenses 44 Our Values and Ethics:

Helping parliamentarians, under law, to serveDemocratic the public Valuesinterest.

Serving with competence, excellence, efficiency,Professional objectivity, Values and impartiality.

Acting at all times to upholdEthical the public Values trust.

Demonstrating respect, fairness, and courtesy in our Peoplerelations Values with the public, colleagues, and fellow public servants.

6

8 Our History How It All Started Prince Edward Island’s government was not always led by one House of elected representatives; for roughly the first 120 years of Island governance, there were two legislative bodies, the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. A two-body Legislature is known as a bicameral Legislature. PEI’s first Governor, Walter Patterson, was instructed to establish a House of Assembly in which representatives were popularly elected (unlike Council members, who were appointed). The combination of a Council and House was a requirement for the enactment of legislation under British law. Though Patterson became Governor in 1769, the first House of Assembly was not elected until 1773. Early sessions of the Assembly met in private homes and taverns. A Sergeant-at-Arms of the time commented that this made for a “damn queer parliament”. By 1825, the House of Assembly was working on establishing its rights and privileges, particularly in terms of self- regulation and authority. It followed the example of the British Parliament in seeking to secure ...freedom from arrest (save in indictable offences) during the session and for periods of forty days before and after the session, freedom of speech during debate, power to discipline members and non-members who gave insult or injury to the House or its members, the right to determine disputed elections, [and] the right to receive petitions . The House also established committees charged with the discussion and analysis of particular matters, which took some of the workload off the main body of the House. Committees remain an important part of today’s Legislative Assembly. PEI’s early Legislature often remained in office for an indefinite time, until the Lieutenant Governor saw fit to dissolve it. In 1833, the term was set to four years, with exceptions for dissolution by the Lieutenant Governor or upon the death of the King or Queen. Today, the term of the Legislative Assembly may last for up to five years from the day of the return of the writs for a general election. Otherwise, it may be dissolved earlier by the Lieutenant Governor with the advice of Executive Council. It is no longer automatically dissolved upon the death of a sovereign. Responsible Government The existence of an elected House of Assembly was key to PEI’s attainment of responsible government (self- government) in 1851. The Members of the House of Assembly were largely in favour of responsible government, while the Members of the Legislative Council largely were not. The Council Members’ resistance was likely because they were appointed, opposed to reform and enjoyed freedom from responsibility to the House of Assembly. In fact, the Council was often an obstacle to the House in terms of membership and policy. But in 1839, the Legislative Council was separated into a Legislative Council and an Executive Council, and some Members of the House of Assembly were placed on Executive Council; this had the effect of reducing the Legislative Council’s power. In 1840, the House of Assembly requested that the Queen grant responsible government to PEI. It was granted in 1851, and was augmented with an 1862 Act that required the Legislative Council to be elected rather than appointed. From this point onward, the Council’s influence gradually diminished compared to that of the House.

9 Creating the Legislative Assembly In 1893, the House of Assembly and the Legislative Council were combined to form the Legislative Assembly. From 1893 to 1966, PEI’s Legislative Assembly was made up of 30 Members, half of which were elected as Assemblymen, half as Councillors. There were five electoral districts in each of the three counties, and each district elected an Assemblyman and a Councillor. This double-representative system was unique in Canadian politics, as all other provinces had abolished their second chambers. In 1966 the riding of 6th Queens was created, which brought the total membership in the Assembly to 32. In 1994 the Election Act and Electoral Boundaries Commission recommended a shift to single member representation for all 30 districts. MLA Ross Young later introduced a Private Member’s Bill which redrew electoral boundaries according to a 27 riding system. The bill received Royal Assent on May 19, 1994, and survived provincial and federal Supreme Court challenges by the City of and other urban centres. The 1996 election was the first time the Legislative Assembly was elected based on one Member for each of 27 ridings, a system it continues to follow today.

10 TheOur Office Services of the Legislative Assembly provides • serving as secretary to the Standing Committee on nonpartisan procedural, administrative, Legislative Management; communications, educational and outreach services to the Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and • advising the Speaker and Members on the public. parliamentary procedure, traditions and precedents; • administering the Oath of Allegiance to all duly Office of the Speaker elected Members at the beginning of a parliament; and The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly, and is responsible for: • presiding over the election of a Speaker. • presiding over the proceedings of the Assembly, maintaining order, and regulating debate in Standing Committee on Legislative accordance with the rules and practices of the Management House; The Standing Committee on Legislative Management • ensuring all viewpoints have the opportunity of a deals with the administration of the House and the hearing in debate; provision of all services and facilities to Members. Chaired by the Speaker, its mandate and membership • casting the deciding vote in the event of a tie; are specified in theRules of the Legislative Assembly. • guarding the privileges of the Assembly and protecting the rights of its Members; Independent Offices of the Legislative • representing the Legislative Assembly outside of the Assembly Chamber and embodying the authority and prestige • The Conflict of Interest Commissioner assists of the House; and Members and Ministers in reconciling their private and public interests to enhance public • chairing the Standing Committee on Legislative confidence in the Legislative Assembly. Management. • Elections PEI administers all elections in Prince Edward Island. Office of the Clerk • The Information and Privacy Commissioner accepts appeals from applicants, or third Members are supported in their parliamentary functions parties, who are not satisfied with the by services administered by the Clerk, the chief response they receive from public bodies as executive officer of the Legislative Assembly. The Clerk a result of an access to information request. has both procedural and managerial responsibilities, The Commissioner also investigates privacy and oversees the delivery of nonpartisan services to complaints. the Members of the Legislative Assembly. The Clerk’s responsibilities include: • The Indemnities and Allowances Commission reviews and determines salaries and benefits to • safekeeping of the records and documents of the be provided to the Members of the Legislative House; Assembly. • maintaining the official record of the House and publishing the Journal of the Legislative Assembly;

11 Sessional Adminstration Hansard During the sittings of the Legislative Assembly, Hansard first started transcribing the daily debates additional administrative support is required. The of the Legislative Assembly in February, 1996. As of Sessional Administration Office supports the Clerk December 2, 2015, 842 issues of the daily debates with regards to the production, dissemination and have been published. safekeeping of documents. Its responsibilities include: In 2006, Hansard took over the responsibility for • archiving a copy of everything tabled in the House; transcribing committee proceedings. • producing and distributing physical copies Since 2007, Hansard has produced detailed indexes to of House proceedings and debates to Clerks, both the daily debates and committee meetings. Members, and the media, as well as posting digital copies to the Legislative Assembly website; In 2015, Hansard resumed cataloguing various papers connected to the Legislative Assembly, including • undertaking daily mailings to various provincial typescripts of portions of House and committee debates, and federal libraries and government offices; and as well as reports, speeches and other items. The time • providing training, support and scheduling for period covered is from 1961 to 1995. Once the catalogue Legislative Pages. is developed, the Legislative Assembly, working with other partners, can decide what should be scanned and added to the Legislative Documents Online website. Committees The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island Security enjoys the flexibility available through its standing committees to carry out detailed consideration of The Sergeant-At-Arms is part of the Office the annual reports of the Auditor General to the of the Legislative Assembly as defined in the Legislative Assembly, examination of the public Legislative Assembly Act. The position is steeped accounts of the province, recruiting for positions in parliamentary tradition; with the Sergeant-At- on the Prince Edward Island Human Rights Arms and the mace, the House may exercise its Commission, and matters of interest to the people considerable rights and privileges, and carry out of the province. various functions assigned to it. Committee work provides topical information to Today, the Sergeant-At-Arms/Director of Security Members of the Legislative Assembly on issues is responsible for the operational security of the of concern and often provokes important public Legislative Assembly. This is achieved by providing a debate. In addition, because committees interact safe and secure environment for MLAs, staff of the directly with the public, they provide an immediate Assembly, and the visiting public. channel between elected representatives and The objective is to provide a safe and secure Islanders. environment for MLAs and Assembly staff to conduct In 2015, the standing and special committees their parliamentary responsibilities in the Hon. completed a busy and productive schedule of 55 George Coles Building, Saint Paul’s Rectory, and meetings, submitting a total of 12 reports to the the J. Angus MacLean Building. As of 2010, security Legislative Assembly. services for the Legislative Assembly have been supplied by the Legislative Assembly Security Force, which consists of three full-time and seven part-time members, under the direction of the Sergeant-At- Arms. Additional responsibilities include: • monitoring and maintenance of electronic 12 surveillance equipment; Library and Research • issuing and controlling the card access system; The Legislative Library and Research Service is a nonpartisan and confidential source of information, • training of security personnel; news, and reference services to Members of the • liaising with the Charlottetown Police as required; Legislative Assembly, their caucus staff, standing committees, and staff of the Legislature. The • creating contingency plans for bomb threats and Legislative Library and Research Service is also fire evacuations; and responsible for: • serving as contact for assistance with public • completing research briefs; demonstrations and conducting threat and risk assessments. • responding to information requests from other Canadian jurisdictions; • obtaining information on legislation, regulations, Human Resources, Finance and Administration and policies of other jurisdictions for comparison to Prince Edward Island; This office supports the work of the Speaker, Members and Office of the Clerk by assisting with financial, • developing interpretive and informational content administrative and human resource management for distribution to visitors to Province House; and services. Responsibilities include: • updating and maintaining the website for the • administering payroll and benefits for staff and Legislative Assembly. Members; • advising employees with regard to benefits; Multimedia Services • providing information to both the Government and Opposition House Leaders on staffing budgets; Multimedia Services is responsible for producing the television broadcast and webcast of the spring and fall • preparing the budget and quarterly forecasts to sittings of the Legislature. Additional responsibilities of ensure operations stay within the approved budget; Multimedia Services include: • administering the day-to-day finances of Legislative • archiving all streaming sessions of the Legislature Services, the Office of the Conflict of Interest on the Legislative Assembly website; Commissioner, and the Information and Privacy Commissioner; • providing audio and video support to Information Technology Support Services; • responding to information technology, telecommunications, and general maintenance • providing technical support for Members of the requests; Legislative Assembly, the media and presenters to the standing committees; • participating in the planning and attending of special events; • producing audio recordings of the standing committee and Legislative Assembly proceedings; • conducting the recruitment and orientation process and for Legislative Pages; and • repairing and maintaining all audio and visual • participating in the orientation of Members. equipment at Province House and the Coles Building.

13 External Relations and Special Projects In order to ensure a smooth transition for the Legislative Assembly Offices, the Assembly undertook an interchange for an External Relations and Special Projects Manager. The primary responsibilities of this position included: • coordinating the Legislative Assembly’s move from Province House to nearby buildings, including the Legislative Chamber, administrative, security, and press offices to the Honourable George Coles Building; the offices of the Speaker and Clerk to 197 Richmond Street; and the committee room and library to the J. Angus MacLean Building. All three buildings are within a city block of one another, in the heart of historic Charlottetown; • acting in the communications and external relations position for the Office of the Legislative Assembly; • representing the Office of the Legislative Assembly’s interests in the relocation (including inventory control) of the Legislature; • liaising with Parks Canada and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal on logistical requirements associated with the relocation; • ensuring internal readiness for the move, including the preparation of a preliminary needs analysis on the continued operation at Province House post- renovation; and • analyzing the website and identifying and developing outreach opportunities/partnerships (external and internal) for both the relocation and other key Assembly messages.

14 Our Team: The Offices of the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Legislative Management

Speaker

Administrative Assistant Clerk

Administrative Assistant Clerk Assistant & Clerk of Committees

Corporate External Hansard Research Research Security Sessional Services Relations & Service Librarian Officer Administration Special Projects +Sergeant-at- +Human +Debates +Document +Research Arms +House Resources & +Relocation Transcripts Collection Operations Coordinator +Briefing +Assistant Finance +Committe +Website Papers Sergeant-at- +Page +IT & Admin. +Official Transcripts Maintenance/ Arms Program Communications +Committee +Office +Assembly Development duties/ +Security Staff Coordinator Management +Assembly Publications +Social Media clerking & Services +Committee Representative +Asset +Projects Outreach +Visitor +Ceremonial duties/ to Partner Clerking Management Agencies +Research Services Duties Coordinator +Admin. +Member +Public Relations +Student Services Intern (expenses/ +Community Coordinator pay benefits) Outreach

15 Spotlight: A Move in the Making... Being knee-deep in packing tape and bubble wrap, surrounded by towers of boxes, is a scenario to which most people can relate. But not all moves are alike. Involving the coordination of hundreds of thousands of documents, numerous pieces of office furniture and historic artifacts, many feet of shelving, and Members and staff, the Legislative Assembly move was on a completely different scale. Province House closed in January 2015 due to major repairs to fix serious structural issues. Parks Canada commissioned a report on the condition of the building from Toronto architecture firm Taylor Hazell. Even before submitting its final report, the firm warned Parks Canada of several urgent structural issues, one of which was the possibility of an external wall collapse. In response to this, some repairs were made and an exterior wall was secured, but the underlying causes of the problem still plagued the building. As a result, a move was in the making. Due to the closure of Province House several offices in other buildings had to be relocated. Elections PEI was the first to move from their location in the J. Angus MacLean Building at 94 Great George Street to the Atlantic Technology Centre at 176 Great George Street. The Legislative Library and the offices of the Research Librarian and Research Officer moved from their office space on the first floor of the Coles Building to the first floor of the J. Angus MacLean Building in the beginning of December, 2014. Before the move, committees met in the Pope Room on the first floor of the Coles Building, but this was to function as the Legislative Assembly Chamber. Their meeting space was moved to the first floor of the J. Angus MacLean Building where adaptation of the committee table began on January 22, 2015. The Crown Attorney’s Office moved from 197 Richmond Street to 50 Water Street. The Offices of Speaker and Clerk of the Legislative Assembly moved into 197 Richmond Street the week of January 21, 2015.

16 The Legislative Chamber was relocated to the Honourable George Coles Building, adjacent to Province House. The administrative, security and press offices were also relocated in the Coles Building. Renovations started on February 9, 2015, for the first floor of the Coles building to re-create it as the new space for the Legislative Assembly. The former library offices were transformed into space for security, press room, administrative office and the Speaker of the House. The Pope Room was renovated to become the temporary Chamber of the Legislative Assembly. Furniture from the Chamber in Province House was brought to the Coles Building (after being safely secured and stored for two months in Summerside), including the Speaker’s Chair and the desks and chairs used by Members of the Legislative Assembly. The new Chamber is a similar size to the original one, however it has fewer seats for the public gallery. To ensure adequate space for the public to view the proceedings, the new committee room located in the J. Angus MacLean Building is now being used as an overflow room. The majority of renovations in the Honourable George Coles Building finished in early April and the first session in the new Chamber began on June 3, 2015. The Members were sworn in at a replica of the original Province House Legislative Council Chamber in the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Together with Parks Canada, the staff of the Legislative Assembly and the Province worked with experts and curators to ensure that all of the artifacts in Province House were secured safely, recorded, and moved to a humidity-controlled environment in Dartmouth, NS.

Remodeling the new Chamber

17 Panoramic view of new Chamber. Photo credit: Laura Morrell 18 Events Robert Harris Portraits Restored The new Legislative Assembly Chamber located in the Honourable George Coles Building is home to ten Robert Harris oil portraits. In an effort to preserve them for the future, the portraits were restored in the spring of 2015. The paintings were delivered to Elizabeth Jablonski, a freelance art conservator and owner of Fine Art Paintings Conservation and Collections Management, in Halifax, to be restored. The portraits that hang in the Chamber include nine speakers as well as one Premier and Father of Confederation, Edward Palmer. These portraits marked an important turning point in Harris’ career. He was working as a clerk and dreaming of life as a professional painter when he received his first official commission in September of 1871. He was asked by the Executive Council of PEI to paint the province’s speakers and was only paid five pounds per painting, approximately thirty dollars by today’s exchange rate. At this point, Harris had still not received any formal training in art but was able to secure the commission through contacts of his mother’s. This job did not make him a rich man, but it was his first opportunity to prove his worth as a professional painter. The Robert Harris portraits hung in the Legislative Assembly Chamber in Province House until the Chamber was moved next door to the Coles Building. In restoring the portraits, Ms. Jablonski’s goal was two-fold: to maintain the visual emphasis on the sitters in the portraits and the creative work of the artist, and Edward Thornton Donald Montgomery to preserve the paintings for the future. The portraits now hang in the temporary Chamber of the Legislative Assembly in the Coles Building, where they will remain until the conservation project of Province House is complete and the Assembly returns to its regular home. Thanks to the conservation and William MacNeill Joseph Pope Cornelius Howatt restoration of these portraits, they will be a part of the Chamber for a very long time to come.

Rev.Dr. Angus MacAulay Daniel Davies John Yeo 19 Orientation and Swearing-In of New Members of the Legislative Assembly An orientation session was held for new Members and their families for the First Session of the 65th General Assembly on May 6 - 8, 2015. Some of the topics included financial matters, introduction of independent officers, and preparation for opening day and parliamentary procedure. On June 3, 2015, the new replica Confederation Chamber in the upper foyer of the Confederation Centre of the Arts made a very special and appropriate venue for the swearing- in of incoming Members of the Legislative Assembly. Elected representatives swear the Oath of Allegiance as Members of the Legislative Assembly and are not permitted to take a seat on the floor of the House until duly sworn (or solemnly affirmed).

20 First Session of the 65th General Assembly - Wednesday, June 3, 2015 The First Session of the 65th General Assembly officially opened on Wednesday, June 3, 2015, at 2:00 pm, in the new Legislative Chamber, located on the first floor of the Honourable George Coles Building. The first Order of Business for the day was the election of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Following the election of the Speaker, His Honour the Lieutenant Governor delivered the Speech from the Throne. The regular sitting day schedule, including oral question period, began on Thursday, June 4, 2015, at 2:00 p.m.

21 New Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Elected The first business day of the new General Assembly included the secret ballot election of Speaker and confirmation of the House’s selection of Speaker by the Honourable H. Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island. This marked the first time in 18 years that a secret ballot election for the role of Speaker was necessary and the Honourable Francis (Buck) Watts, Liberal MLA for Tracadie-Hillsborough Park, was duly elected. As Speaker, he serves as President of the Prince Edward Island Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Mr. Watts is Chair of the Legislative Management Committee and the Legislative Audit Committee. , the MLA for Evangeline- Miscouche, was appointed Deputy Speaker on June 3, 2015.

22 Opening of the Fall Sitting - Thursday, November 12, 2015

The following students were appointed as Pages: Janette Kerry, Kensington Intermediate Senior High School; John Ployer, Montague Regional High School; Annie Compton, Bluefield High School; and Rachel Hamilton, Grace Christian School. The Pages continuing from Spring, 2015 were: Ethan Craig, Morell Regional High School; Samantha Clark, Colonel Gray High School; Lilly Hickox, Charlottetown Rural High School; Alex Phillips, Kinkora Regional High School; Robert Larsen, Three Oaks Senior High School; and Abbey Turnbull, École François-Buote Brian D. Weldon of Charlottetown was appointed Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island effective November 12, 2015. A special welcome was mentioned to the new of the Opposition, Honourable Jamie Fox.

A First in Our History: Two Women as Clerks-at-the-Table November 19, 2015, was the first time in the history of the Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly that two female clerks sat at the Table during a sessional sitting day. The clerks are nonpartisan parliamentary officials responsible for providing advice to the Speaker and Members on parliamentary procedure and practice, ensuring the supports and services for the operation of the Legislature are available and maintaining the official records of the House.

Emily Doiron, Administrative Clerk Marian Johnston, Clerk Assistant

23 Web Advisory Committee and Social Media A new Web Advisory Committee (WAC) was formed to examine the Legislative Assembly’s website on a regular basis and develop strategies for making the most effective use of the web, focusing on innovation and user satisfaction. The committee was established to guide the development of the Legislative Assembly’s website and to advise and support the webmaster to ensure that the site contains the highest quality and most up-to-date content. During this past year, the web committee has redesigned the look and feel of the website to make it more user friendly while establishing improved standards for content.

The following Legislative Assembly employees are members of this committee: JoAnne Holden, Chair Laura Morrell Ryan Reddin Joey Jeffrey Emily Doiron

The committee has also initiated an increased presence in social media for the Legislative Assembly, namely on Twitter and Facebook. Social media provides an exciting, powerful and interactive addition to our online activities which allows the Legislative Assembly to engage with the public on common platforms; increase participation in Assembly business; improve targeted communications; improve the long-term cost-effectiveness of communication; and promote the work of the Assembly itself.

Wintertide The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island once again partnered with the City of Charlottetown to host the Wintertide Holiday Festival Opening on November 20, 2015.

Father Christmas and a selected Children’s Wish Foundation child led the parade of approximately 1,500 people in Christmas carols as they walked along Grafton Street to the Confederation Centre of the Arts Upper Plaza. There they met a large gathering crowd with the voices of the Confederation Centre Children’s Youth Chorus singing Christmas carols in the background.

Following the tree illumination, hot chocolate and cookies were served and all enjoyed the tree and lights in the surrounding area. Christmas carols were played in the background to maintain the festive atmosphere.

The event had approximately 1,500 persons in attendance, with Charlottetown City Police assisting in controlling traffic flow on Grafton Street prior to and during the event. The event was presented by the City of Charlottetown in partnership with the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, Confederation Centre of the Arts, Children’s Wish Foundation, and media partners The Guardian and NewCap Radio.

The evening was once again a great success and served as the official launch of the Holiday Season in the capital city. 24 Order of Prince Edward Island First conferred in 1996, the Order of Prince Edward Island is the highest honour that can be accorded to a citizen of the province. It is awarded annually following a public nomination process with not more than three recipients being selected by the independent Advisory Council.

The Order of Prince Edward Island has been established as a way of encouraging and acknowledging the outstanding achievements of individual citizens of the province. It is a special act of appreciation to nominate someone believed to be deserving of such an honour. The Order of PEI Advisory Council reviews nominations and recommends the names of honour recipients.

2015 Recipients of the Order of Prince Edward Island Bill Campbell In 2007, J.W. (Bill) Campbell was honoured by the Halifax Regional Municipality with the prestigious Paragon Award. In his acceptance speech, Campbell said he would like his grandchildren to know that their granddad was part of the team that cut extreme poverty in half by 2015. Since that time and, indeed, long before, Mr. Campbell has been steadfast in his commitment to that goal. His efforts to improve people’s lives in the areas of non-profit housing projects and shelters for the vulnerable and homeless are well known throughout the province. Mr. Campbell is the president and founder of Bills Lane Housing Development in Charlottetown, a not-for-profit housing project containing twelve geothermally-heated town houses, plus one apartment building. Perhaps not as widely recognized is Mr. Campbell’s dedication to combating poverty through microloans to those with business ideas they wish to develop on Prince Edward Island, and to internationally trained workers living in the province who need financial assistance to upgrade their credentials to Canadian standards. He is the president and founder of Canada Microcredit Educators Group. Mr. Campbell’s dedication to making a difference in our community has not gone unnoticed. In addition to the Paragon Award, he has received the Canada Volunteer Award and Medal of Honour, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, among others. The Order of Prince Edward Island is a fitting addition to acknowledge his contributions to Prince Edward Island. Honourable H. Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of Prince Edward Island; recipient Bill Campbell; Honourable H. Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island 25 Gerald Sheldon Dixon Gerald Dixon is recognized for his inspirational leadership and foresight in the classroom, on the court, throughout the equestrian community, and in his home and neighbouring communities. Mr. Dixon was born in Summerside. He was a busy and active youngster with a love of animals, and most especially horses, which became a lifelong interest. Educated in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, Mr. Dixon began a full-time teaching career at Kensington Regional High School in 1970, retiring in 2001. His interest in teaching extended beyond the classroom, and school sports, with a focus on coaching basketball, became a major part of his life. In 1994, he was recognized by the Island Basketball Association for his contributions to the sport, and in 2010, he was awarded the Three Oaks Christmas Classic Honorary Chair Recognition Award for thirty years of coaching basketball. Gerald Dixon’s interest in horses kept pace with his efforts for his students and their success. From 1957, when he bought his first western saddle, to racing his exceptional horses, Ak-bar and Flying MacKay Leo, in the following decades, to organizing the first meetings of the Abegweit Horse Association and much more, Mr. Dixon has been a dedicated and enthusiastic contributor to equine activities in the province. More broadly, his tireless efforts on behalf of the Crapaud Agriplex, starting in 2002, have resulted today in a popular, multi-use facility which is an integral part of the district. “The best asset any organization or community can have” has been used to describe Mr. Dixon and his capacity for vision, leadership, and love of sports and community. He is a worthy recipient of the Order of Prince Edward Island.

Honourable H. Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of Prince Edward Island; recipient Gerald Sheldon Dixon; Honourable H. Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island

26 Dr. Charles St. Clair Trainor Dr. Charles Trainor has set the standard for kind, conscientious and competent patient care. Following his graduation in 1964 from St. Dunstan’s University, magna cum laude, he pursued his medical studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Upon completion of his studies and internship, he returned to Prince Edward Island and opened a family practice in 1970. Just six years later, Dr. Trainor became one of the first Island physicians to be awarded certification by examination by the College of Family Physicians in Canada. He maintained an extremely busy family practice until his retirement in 2007. By that time, Dr. Trainor was caring for his third generation of patients, having looked after their parents and grandparents, a continuity of care that is extraordinary. A testimonial to the quality of his relationships with his patients was evident at his retirement party where many of them attempted to persuade him to postpone his well-deserved retirement. After leaving his office practice, Dr. Trainor continued to serve the needs of his fellow Islanders by working as a surgical assistant in the operating room at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, as well as serving as the province’s Chief Coroner, a post he held from 1994 to 2015. His work in that regard began in 1983 when he was appointed as a provincial coroner, and continued through the decades, as he trained and mentored the coroners under his supervision. Dr. Trainor invariably exhibited tremendous empathy and compassion for grieving families, assisting them in any way he was able, and was always willing to share his knowledge and expertise with police, ambulance, funeral home and firefighting personnel. An active member of his community, he continues to contribute to the health and well-being of Prince Edward Island. Dr. Charles Trainor truly deserves this award for his lifetime of dedication to the people of the province.

Honourable H. Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of Prince Edward Island; recipient Dr. Charles St Clair Trainor; Honourable H. Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island

27 Members of the Order of Prince Edward Island A H R Angèle Arsenault, O.C. Honourable Barbara Hagerman Honourable Marion Reid, C.M. Reverend Éloi Arsenault H. Wayne Hambly, C.M. Antoine Richard, C.M. Georges Arsenault Wilma Hambly Helen Robbins Nancy Ann Hamill B James Hogan S Arthur Hudson , C.M. Paul H. Schurman, C.M. Chief Darlene Bernard I Father Brady Smith Honourable J.Léonce Bernard Reverend Dr. F.W.P. Bolger, C.M. Dr. Albert “Bud” Ings T Emily Bryant Marlene Bryenton K Dr. Charles St. Clair Trainor Garnet Rankin Buell Marie Burge Derek Key, Q.C. W C L Kay Wall Elmer Williams William Callbeck Frank Ledwell Noel Wilson Dr. Sheldon Cameron Dorothy Lewis Dr. David Wong Alexander Bradshaw Campbell Honourable H. Frank Lewis Bill Campbell Charles Linkletter, C.M. Z Reverend Charles Cheverie Honourable Gilbert R. Clements M Frank Zakem Sibyl Cutcliffe Elmer MacDonald D H. Wade MacLauchlan William MacLean Eleanor Davies Helen Stewart MacRae Donald M. Deacon, O.C., M.C. Dr. Joyce Madigane Sister Mary Deighan Dr. John H. Maloney Dr. George Dewar, C.M. Maylea Manning Vera Elizabeth Dewar Shirley McGinn Gerald Sheldon Dixon Barbara McNeill Anna Duffy Heather Leanne Moyse Regis Duffy, C.M. Ray Murphy E O Edith Eldershaw Dr. Hubert O’Hanley Dr. Kent Ellis P G Ulric Poirier J. Henri Gaudet, C.M. Allan Graham Diane Griffin Visit www.gov.pe.ca/opei for full biographies of all recipients of the Order of Prince Edward Island. 28 Community Engagement Legislative Internship The Legislative Internship Program is run in partnership with the Department of Political Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island. Each year, a third- or fourth-year student majoring in history and/or political science is selected by faculty for a paid internship at the Legislative Assembly in each of the fall and winter semesters. The internship promotes a deeper understanding of the functions and processes of the Legislative Assembly within the university faculties and provides students with an opportunity to work in their field of study while gaining real-world, practical knowledge of the provincial parliament. Students are also encouraged to pursue projects within their areas of academic interest while they put their research skills and political studies knowledge to use. Since its inception in 2008, the program has been well received by both partner institutions, and has provided work placement for 15 students. In 2015, Alix Barry and Christopher Sallie worked at the Legislature, and both students proved to be valuable additions to the staff during their work terms.

Visitor Services In previous summers, the Legislative Assembly hired postsecondary students to work as Visitor Guides to provide tours of Province House and interpret its historical and modern significance as a provincial legislature. With the Legislative Assembly temporarily relocating its Chamber to the Honourable George Coles Building, the summer of 2015 presented an opportunity to adapt the Visitor Guide program to a new interpretive space. Guide duties expanded to include research and other tasks similar to those performed by Legislative Interns. In 2015, Visitor Guide Emily Jensen greeted and interacted with several hundred visitors over the July-August period. Legislatures across Canada offer various forms of visitor services and public education, and the professionals involved participate in the Parliamentary Visitor Services Association. The Association holds an annual general meeting and conference, which was hosted in September, 2015, by the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. The conference provides an opportunity for Association members to share creative ideas and best practices on visitor services as well as take in the educational programs of external organizations in the host jurisdiction. PEI is set to host the Association’s annual general meeting and conference in 2016.

29 Legislative Page Program Legislative pages are Grade 11 and Grade 12 honour students, who have shown an interest in the Legislative Assembly and public affairs. They are active members of their schools and communities, participating in different activities, including sports, music, writing, volunteering, 4-H, Rotary Youth Parliament and student council. The Legislative Page Program provides them with another unique experience, giving them the opportunity to see first-hand the work of the Legislature. Pages are responsible for delivering documents, making photocopies, serving refreshments to Members, and other general responsibilities as assigned by the Speaker and Clerks. Their work term follows the academic year, commencing with the fall sitting in November, and ending with the close of the spring sitting. In 2015, 25 students served as pages at the Legislative Assembly.

During the Spring Sitting (L to R): Drew Murphy, Westisle Composite High School;Sine Robinson, Colonel Gray Senior High School; Jason Bagnall, Bluefield High School;Ryan Arsenault, École Évangéline; Lydia Craig, Charlottetown Rural High School;Honourable , Speaker; Jessie Bowser, Kensington Intermediate Senior High School; William Henbest, Montague Regional High School; Molly Pendergast, Morell Regional High School; Nigel Waite, Three Oaks Senior High School; Rebecca Paynter, Kinkora Regional High School; Megan O’Hanley, Souris Regional High School Also during the spring sitting, four former pages returned:

Michelle Laura Lauren Emma McCabe, McCardle, McKearney, MacLean, Stratford Kinkora Charlottetown Kensington 30 During the Fall Sitting (L to R, front row): Alex Phillips, Kinkora Regional High School; Abbey Turnbull, École François-Buote; Lilly Hickox, Charlottetown Rural High School;Rachel Hamilton, Grace Christian School; Honourable Francis (Buck) Watts, Speaker; Samantha Clark, Colonel Gray Senior High School; Janette Kerry, Kensington Intermediate-Senior High School; Annie Compton, Bluefield High School;

L to R, back row: Matthew LeClair, Westisle Composite High School; John Ployer, Montague Regional High School; Ethan Craig, Morell Regional High School; Robert Larsen, Three Oaks Senior High School Rotary Youth Parliament This long-running program is a partnership among the Rotary Clubs across Prince Edward Island, the Speaker’s and Clerk’s offices, the Department of Education, District School Boards, and volunteer teacher advisors. The 27th Annual Rotary Youth Parliament was held on February 27-28, 2015, with the Honourable Carolyn Bertram, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly presiding. The 28th Annual Rotary Youth Parliament was held on November 27-28, 2015, with the Honourable Francis (Buck) Watts, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, presiding. Students from all high schools on P.E.I. represented Government and Opposition Members and debated Acts and Resolutions on current issues on P.E.I.

31 Honourable Francis (Buck) Watts, Speaker (centre), with November 2015 Rotary Youth Parliament participants Parliamentary Matters Unparliamentary Language The Rules of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island prohibit disrespectful language in debate (Rule 34(2)). In addition, personal attacks, insults, obscene language, or words that question a member’s integrity, honesty or character are not permitted. While it is not possible to produce a definitive list of unparliamentary words and expressions, in 2015 the Speaker intervened to caution members regarding use of the following language in debate: • corruption • fraudulent • misleading the House • not honourable, not becoming of this House • I find that hard to believe • callous • spin

Security The year 2015 was a busy year for security, with the closing of Province House. The removal of all security equipment from Province House and the installation in the Coles Building in time for the spring sitting was critical. The relocation also included the installation of new security equipment for the exterior of the Coles Building. After several years of service with the Legislative Assembly as a security officer and Assistant Sergeant- At-Arms, Fred Fordham retired and his dedication to the job will be missed. Brian Weldon, a security officer with the Legislature, has been appointed Acting Assistant Sergeant-At-Arms. In the past year, the Director of Security had the privilege of attending the Commonwealth Sergeant-At-Arms conference in London, England. The conference was hosted by Lawrence Ward, Sergeant-At-Arms for the House of Commons, England. This event celebrated the six hundredth anniversary of the Sergeant-At-Arms position and the eight hundredth anniversary of the Magna Carta. Topics covered during the conference included: security threats and strategy, public engagement, business resilience and disaster recovery planning, event and VIP visit management, media access and relations, security in the public eye, balancing access and security, and jurisdictional updates. A great deal was learned from the conference and workshop discussions, enabling the Sergeant-At-Arms to return and implement changes to security at the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, allowing for a safer and more secure work place. The Sergeant-At-Arms conference is held each year in a different location. In 2016, the conference will be held in Charlottetown.

32 Committee Activities An important segment of the Legislative Assembly, both historically and currently, is that of the committee. There are three types of committees: standing committees, special committees and Committee of the Whole House. Committee work provides topical information to Members of the Legislative Assembly on issues of concern and often provokes important public debate. In addition, because committees interact directly with the public, they provide an immediate channel between elected representatives and Islanders. Currently, several standing committees exist for every session of the Assembly, along with occasional special committees struck for a particular purpose and for a limited period of time. Standing and special committees are sub-groups of Members of all parties according to their proportion within the Legislative Assembly. These committees hold hearings and receive written submissions and in-person presentations from the public according to their committee mandates. The current active standing committees are organized into the following subject areas: Standing Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries; Standing Committee on Communities, Land and Environment; Standing Committee on Education and Economic Development; Standing Committee on Health and Wellness; Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Energy; Standing Committee on Public Accounts; and Standing Committee on Rules, Regulations, Private Bills and Privileges. There is also the Standing Committee on Legislative Management, chaired by the Speaker, but its role relates to the administration and staffing of the Assembly and it is not normally a public committee. This year the Special Committee on Democratic Renewal was created as a result of Motion 33. The role of this special committee was to guide public engagement and make recommendations in response to theWhite Paper on Democratic Renewal. This five person special committee of the Legislative Assembly consisted of Jordan Brown (Charlottetown-Brighton) (Chair), Peter Bevan-Baker (Leader of the Third Party), Honourable (Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy), Sidney MacEwen (Morell-Mermaid), and (Summerside- Wilmot). The standing and special committees completed a busy and productive schedule of 55 meetings, submitting a total of 12 reports to the Legislative Assembly. The following table contains information about the special and standing committees of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, including their membership, meeting activity and reports for 2015.

33 Summary of Committee Activity Fifth Session of the Sixty-fourth General Assembly and First Session of the Sixty-fifth General Assembly January 1, 2015-December 31, 2015 Committee Reports (Subject Committee Name Chair Dates of Meetings Members and Date Tabled) Agriculture and Robert Henderson Peter Bevan-Baker July 7, 2015 Committee Fisheries (1/65) Bush Dumville Sept 29, 2015 Activities (Dec. 2, Jamie Fox Oct. 30, 2015 2015) Robert Henderson Nov. 10, 2015 Colin LaVie Nov. 26, 2015 Pat Murphy

Communities, Land Kathleen Casey Peter Bevan-Baker July 7, 2015 PEI Human Rights and Environment Kathleen Casey July 8, 2015 Commission (July 9, (1/65) Robert Henderson Oct. 1, 2015 2015) Sidney MacEwen Committee Tina Mundy Activities (Nov. 25, Janice Sherry 2015) Sonny Gallant (as of Oct. 5)

Democratic Jordan Brown Peter Bevan-Baker Aug. 6, 2015 Recommendations Renewal, Special Hon. Paula Biggar Aug. 14, 2015 in Response to Committee on Jordan Brown Sept. 3, 2015 the White Paper (1/65) Sidney MacEwen Sept. 8, 2015 on Democratic Janice Sherry Sept. 15, 2015 Renewal (Nov. 27, Oct. 7, 2015 2015) Oct. 14, 2015 (afternoon and evening) Oct. 15, 2015 Oct. 21, 2015 (afternoon and evening) Oct. 28, 2015 (afternoon and evening) Nov. 4, 2015 (afternoon and evening) Nov. 5, 2015 Nov. 12, 2015 Nov. 16, 2015 Nov. 23, 2015 (afternoon and evening) 34 Committee Reports (Subject Committee Name Chair Dates of Meetings Members and Date Tabled) Education Tina Mundy Peter Bevan-Baker July 7, 2015 Committee and Economic Jordan Brown Sept. 22, 2015 Activities (Nov. 26, Development Kathleen Casey Oct. 6, 2015 2015) (1/65) Sonny Gallant Oct. 20, 2015 Matthew MacKay Oct. 27, 2015 Tina Mundy Nov. 3, 2015 Hon. Steven Myers Nov. 24, 2015 Health and Janice Sherry James Aylward July 7, 2015 Committee Wellness (1/65) Peter Bevan-Baker Sept. 23, 2015 Activities(Nov. 27, Kathleen Casey Nov. 5, 2015 2015) Bush Dumville Pat Murphy Janice Sherry Infrastructure and Sonny Gallant Peter Bevan-Baker July 7, 2015 Energy (1/65) Bush Dumville Sept. 17, 2015 Jamie Fox Oct. 15, 2015 Sonny Gallant Oct. 22, 2015 Sidney MacEwen Oct. 29, 2015 Tina Mundy Pat Murphy Public Accounts James Aylward James Aylward July 7, 2015 Review of the (1/65) Peter Bevan-Baker Sept. 22, 2015 2015 Report of the Jordan Brown, Vice- Jordan Brown Oct. 27, 2015 Auditor General chair Darlene Compton Nov. 3, 2015 to the Legislative (as of Sept. 22, Assembly (Nov. 25, 2015) 2015) Bush Dumville Sonny Gallant Robert Henderson Hon. Steven Myers (until Sept. 22, 2015) Janice Sherry Privileges, Rules Kathleen Casey James Aylward June 16, 2015 Private Bill No. 200 and Private Bills Peter Bevan-Baker (June 18, 2015) (1/65) - name of Kathleen Casey committee changed Bush Dumville Revised Committee on June 18, 2015 Sonny Gallant Structure and Rule Robert Henderson Changes (June 18, Tina Mundy 2015) Hon. Steven Myers

35 Committee Reports (Subject Committee Name Chair Dates of Meetings Members and Date Tabled) Rules, Regulations, Kathleen Casey James Aylward July 7, 2015 Private Bill No. 201 Private Bills and Peter Bevan-Baker (Dec. 2, 2015) Privileges (1/65) - Kathleen Casey from June 18, 2015 Bush Dumville Sonny Gallant Robert Henderson Tina Mundy Hon. Steven Myers Agriculture, Paula Biggar James Aylward Environment, Paula Biggar Energy and Forestry Kathleen Casey (5/64) Bush Dumville Colin LaVie Pat Murphy Buck Watts Community and Bush Dumville Paula Biggar Intergovernmental Richard Brown Affairs (5/64) Bush Dumville Sonny Gallant Colin LaVie Pat Murphy Hon. Steven Myers Education and Gerard Greenan James Aylward Innovation (5/64) Kathleen Casey Gerard Greenan Charles McGeoghegan Robert Mitchell Pat Murphy Hon. Steven Myers Fisheries, Sonny Gallant Paula Biggar Transportation and Sonny Gallant Rural Development Colin LaVie (5/64) Charles McGeoghegan Pat Murphy Hon. Steven Myers Hal Perry Buck Watts

36 Committee Reports (Subject Committee Name Chair Dates of Meetings Members and Date Tabled) Health, Social Bush Dumville James Aylward Development and Richard Brown Seniors (5/64) Olive Crane Bush Dumville Sonny Gallant Gerard Greenan Colin LaVie Hal Perry Privileges, Rules Kathleen Casey James Aylward and Private Bills Kathleen Casey (5/64) Colin LaVie Hon. Ron MacKinley Hon. Alan McIsaac Hon. Janice Sherry Hon. Robert Vessey (resigned as MLA Feb. 23, 2015) Hon. George Webster Public Accounts James Aylward James Aylward Feb. 12, 2015 (5/64) Paula Biggar Mar. 11, 2015 Sonny Gallant Robert Mitchell Pat Murphy Hon. Steven Myers Buck Watts

Special Committee Hon. Alan McIsaac James Aylward June 9, 2015 Composition of on Committees Hon. Paula Biggar June 25, 2015 the Standing Sonny Gallant Committees (June Hon. Alan McIsaac 10, 2015) Hon. Steven Myers Composition of the Standing Committees (June 30, 2015)

Total Number of Meetings: 55 Total Number of Reports: 12

37 Special Committee on Democratic Renewal – A New Approach to Engaging Islanders In the Speech from the Throne delivered on June 3, 2015, Government included a commitment to “initiate and support a thorough and comprehensive examination of ways in which to strengthen our electoral system, our representation, and the role and functioning of the Legislative Assembly.” As part of this process, Government issued a White Paper on Democratic Renewal. A five-person special committee of the Legislative Assembly was created to guide public engagement and make recommendations in response to the White Paper on Democratic Renewal. This special committee consisted of Jordan Brown (Charlottetown- Brighton) (Chair), Peter Bevan-Baker (Leader of the Third Party), Honourable Paula Biggar (Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy), Sidney MacEwen (Morell- Mermaid), and Janice Sherry (Summerside-Wilmot). The committee wanted to ensure that it gained the broadest possible public input on the important issues raised in the White Paper and a new approach to informing and engaging Islanders for this special committee was initiated by the Legislative Assembly. At the beginning of the initial public consultation phase, the committee launched a comprehensive communications plan to fulfill its mandate. A public engagement strategy was also implemented for the special committee. This approach involved employees of the Legislative Assembly to help ensure that appropriate mechanisms were in place to provide an innovative engagement strategy on a challenging topic and attempt to make democratic renewal as simple as possible – which can be a difficult task. Employees of the Assembly embraced this challenge and attended all of the fall, 2015 public consultations across the province. The communications and public engagement initiative included advertising, launching a social media campaign, creating a new website for the special committee, developing brochures, and creating new innovative ways to engage the public, i.e. presentations and table top exercises.

38 Together with the committee, the employees of the Assembly wanted to provide the audience with the most appropriate communication methods to the various audiences. The focus was on what people would need to know for informed participation, interaction, and engagement. These community consultations provided a forum for good dialogue, debate and deliberation among those interested in democratic renewal. The committee changed its format for the community meetings, acting on suggestions from those in attendance at the first set of consultations, to make the events more welcoming and inclusive. This involved a meet-and-greet portion in which the public could speak with committee members, followed by brief, objective introductions to electoral systems, where information about various voting systems was presented by staff members of the Legislative Assembly. Formal presentations from pre-registered participants took place in a legislative committee meeting setting. As the committee made a concerted effort to reach young people on the important topic of democratic renewal, employees of the Legislative Assembly also participated in this engagement initiative. Strategies included the use of social media to reach these audiences in the digital spaces they occupy; meetings devoted to hearing specifically from university and high school students, including political science students at the UPEI; and directed letters of invitation to high school principals and social studies teachers across the province. The public consultation phase included hosting a bilingual meeting in the community of Abram Village. The committee wanted to connect with the francophone community and bilingual Legislative Assembly employees were on hand to present information on electoral systems, and to speak to audience members in the language of their choice. Beyond the interpretation service offered at this meeting, all communication elements, including the White Paper itself, letters of invitation, newspaper advertisements, information brochures, and a slide presentation, were made available to the public in both official languages. Throughout the process, many people exhibited a high degree of commitment, attending multiple consultations and regular communications with the committee. Overall attendance at the public meetings and events had reached close to 1,000 persons; however, social networking tools, specifically Facebook and Twitter, were used to reach larger target audiences in a low-cost way. The committee, along with the staff of the Legislative Assembly, worked with Communications PEI, to enhance Facebook , Twitter, YouTube and display ads through Google

39 network. This boosted committee visibility and public engagement, and over 11,500 people were reached via social media alone. The Special Committee on Democratic Renewal appreciated the efforts of the employees of the Legislative Assembly and facilitating the involvement in the consultations provided for effective public engagement.

Charlottetown Rural high School students present to the Special Committee on Democratic Renewal

40 Parliamentary Meetings Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Prince Edward Island Branch The CPA is an Association of Commonwealth Parliamentarians who, irrespective of gender, race, religion or culture, are united by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms, and by pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary democracy. Its purpose is to promote knowledge and understanding of the constitutional, legislative, economic, social and cultural systems within a parliamentary democratic framework. It undertakes this mission with particular reference to the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations and to countries having close historical and parliamentary associations with it. CPA provides the sole means of regular consultation among Members of Commonwealth Parliaments. It fosters cooperation and understanding among them and promotes the study of, and respect for, Parliament. The CPA pursues these objectives by means of: • Annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conferences, Regional Conferences and other symposiums; • Interparliamentary visits; • Parliamentary Seminars and Workshops; • Publications, notablyThe Parliamentarian, Canadian Parliamentary Review and two newsletters on CPA activities and on parliamentary and political events; and • Parliamentary Information and Reference Centre communications. More than 120 delegates and accompanying persons met in Victoria, British Columbia, for the 53rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference from July 19-24, 2015.

Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) The Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie brings together parliamentarians from 77 parliaments and inter-parliamentary organizations from five continents. Its actions strive principally to promote and defend democracy, the right to development, the respect of human rights, and international development of the French language and cultural diversity. The APF was created in 1967 and is the consultive body to the head of State of the Sommet de la Francophonie. Prince Edward Island is one of the members of the America’s Regional Assembly of the APF. This assembly unites 14 parliaments across America: Alberta, British Columbia, Canada, Haiti, Louisiana, Maine, Manitoba, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan. The objectives of the Americas Regional Assembly are to highlight French language, as well as defend and promote French culture in Francophone regions in the Americas. The Provincial Division of the organization is under the direction of the Honourable Francis (Buck) Watts, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island.

41 Eastern State Governments Conference Wilmingham, Delaware August 15-19, 2015

This conference is the largest regional gathering of state and Canadian provincial government leaders in the East, attracting several hundred state and provincial officials from all three branches of government. This unique forum brings state and provincial policy makers together with business leaders and national policy experts, in a nonpartisan environment, to share ideas and discuss new approaches to the most vexing public policy issues facing the region. This year’s meeting featured three days of in-depth discussions with experts from government, academia and the private sector on a range of critical topics spanning several policy interests.

36th Annual Canadian Council of Public Accounts Winnipeg, Manitoba August 23-26, 2015

Legislators and staff from federal, provincial and territorial public accounts committees across Canada meet each year simultaneously with the Canadian Council of Legislative Auditors to discuss matters of mutual interest relating to financial accountability.

42 2015 House Statistics 2013 2014 2015 Number of sitting days 40 33 34 Government bills brought 57 45 47 Government bills passed 52 8 44 Private members’ bills 1 4 2 brought Private members’ bills 0 0 0 passed Private bills brought 2 0 2 Private bills passed 2 0 1 Oral Question Period Total number of questions 1,281 1,076 1,186 Longest question asked 1 min., 25 sec. 1 min., 20 sec. 1 min., 39 sec. Longest answer given 2 min., 46 sec. 2 min., 25 sec. 2 min., 56 sec. Shortest question asked 4 seconds 3 seconds 4 second Shortest answer given 1 second 1 second 1 second Ministerial Statements Total number of statements 159 123 81 Average length of state- 2 min., 29 sec. 1 min., 52 sec. 2 min., 12 sec. ments Longest statement 4 min., 58 sec. 4 min., 18 sec. 8 min., 8 sec. Shortest statement 37 seconds 1 minute 1 min., 7 sec. Motions Government 19 28 19 Other than Government 59 91 49 Independent Member ------9 ------Introduced Jointly 4 3 2 Passed 22 29 21 Number of written 121 177 79 questions submitted Number of written 116 153 54 answers submitted

43 TheLegislative information Assembly below has been Budget taken fromand the Expenses Public Accounts of the Province of Prince Edward Island, Volume II, for the year begun April 1, 2014, and ended March 31, 2015. The Public Accounts provide the most current information comparing actual expenditures (Expenses column) to the budgeted estimates (Estimates column).

estimates $ expenses $ LEGISLATIVE SERVICES Administration 147,100 144,756 Equipment 49,500 15,399 Materials, Supplies & Services 47,800 69,884 Professional & Contract Services 20,000 12,235 Salaries 1,834,100 1,823,639 Travel & Training 49,400 44,955 Grants Opposition Members Office 108,300 108,300 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association 16,000 16,169 Government Members Office 120,400 120,400 Miscellaneous 58,000 100 Total Legislative Services 2,450,600 2,355,837 MEMBERS Salaries 2,125,100 2,082,391 Travel & Training 117,900 115,008 Total Members 2,243,000 2,197,399

OFFICE OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST COMMISSIONER Salaries 43,300 46,211 Travel & Training 3,200 -- Total Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner 46,500 46,211

44 estimates $ expenses $ OFFICE OF THE INFORMATION AND PRIVACY COMMISSIONER Administration 4,900 2,732 Materials, Supplies & Services 1,600 77 Professional & Contract Services 1,000 -- Salaries 108,100 111,466 Travel & Training 5,000 2,931 Total Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner 120,600 117,206

ELECTIONS P.E.I. Administration 5,000 15,338 Equipment 1,300 20,391 Materials, Supplies & Services 2,500 42,227 Professional & Contract Services 14,000 9,724 Salaries 185,600 212,014 Travel & Training 4,000 10,446 Total Elections P.E.I 212,400 310,140

TOTAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 5,073,100 5,026,793

45